Knee injuries continue to plague USWNT

The GIST: As we celebrate National Girls & Women in Sports Day, we’re taking time to highlight an alarming trend in women’s soccer that was thrust back into the spotlight following heartbreaking news about USWNT star Sam Mewis: the abundance of knee injuries among the world’s best players.

Sam Mewis: On Monday, the midfielder announced that she had a second surgery on her right knee last week, more than a year after her initial arthroscopic surgery following the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Mewis was an integral member of the 2019 World Cup–winning squad and, before her injury, one of the best midfielders in the world.

• That’s part of the reason why the USWNT has struggled to fill the midfield hole in her absence. It’s extremely unlikely that she’ll play in this year’s World Cup, and she sadly isn’t the only player possibly sidelined with a knee injury.

Elsewhere: USWNT forward Christen Press, midfielder Catarina Macario and defender Tierna Davidson are all still recovering from ACL injuries, as are Netherlands star striker Vivianne Miedema, England’s Golden Boot winner Beth Mead and reigning Ballon d’Or winner, Alexia Putellas of Spain.

• Get this: A recent study found that women are two to eight times more likely to suffer ACL tears than men. You don’t say?

Zooming out: Clearly, this is a major issue plaguing the game. As female athletes break new ground (while fighting frozen fields and unsafe turfs), the need for more female-focused research is as urgent as ever — for the sake of player well-being and the sport as a whole.